(Trinidad Guardian) A huge jump in COVID-19 infections reported yesterday is a “post-Easter spike” and is likely to be caused by the increased activity and mixing over the Easter weekend.
Health Minister Terrence Deyalsingh confirmed that the 134 new COVID-19 cases reported yesterday were a direct result of Easter weekend.
He described the new figures as “a huge increase.”
“Until yesterday, the seven-day rolling average was 61 cases. This 134 has pushed the rolling day average to 77. That’s a huge increase, ”he said in a phone interview yesterday.
Deyalsingh again warned people between 20 and 49 to be very careful of their activities.
“We have consistently said that it is driving this current increase, they need to re-evaluate how they behave,” he said.
He said that that age group needed to stick to the social isolation measures and make sure they were hidden.
“Because of what this demographic does, as we’ve always said, they may not necessarily get very ill but they would take the virus home and infect the elderly,” he said.
Overnight there were three more deaths from COVID complications.
“I encourage that age group to think about the elderly,” said Deyalsingh.
He also encouraged the same demographic to think of the children who are unable to resume normal school activities due to the high prevalence of infections.
“Think of the SEA kids we couldn’t bring to school. You have a responsibility to the elders and one to the children, this is driving the surges around the world now, ”he said.
Deylsingh said that even with the ongoing vaccination programs, people should not become complacent or comfortable.
“The only armor we have now are the public health measures, vaccinations would help but what we’ve noticed around T&T and other places around the world is that once you launch a vaccination program, people drop their guard, ”he said.
“The silver bullet is not a vaccination program at the moment,” said Deyalsingh.
“It is the elderly who would face the end result,” he said.